Author(s)

  • Shelby Smith-Wilson

    Founder, Executive Coach, Podcaster

    The Fendall Collaborative, Grounded and Global Advisory

    Ms. Smith-Wilson is a former senior executive at the U.S. Department of State. A professionally trained executive coach, she is the founder of The Fendall Collaborative, LLC and co-founder of Grounded and Global Advisory, LLC, a platform that specializes in coaching, retreats and leadership curricula. She also co-hosts the Leadership Tea Podcast which features insights primarily from women leaders in government, academia, non-profits and the private sector about what it takes to thrive at the executive level.  Ms. Smith-Wilson served with distinction as a U.S. diplomat for more than two decades. Most recently she was the Senior Advisor to the Provost at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, where she advised on the modernization of the mandatory leadership curricula for the State Department’s senior officials.  Previously, she was the Chief Operating Officer for the Bureau of International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs, where she oversaw $5B in global programs regarding civilian security, rule of law, police training and anti-money laundering projects in 90 countries. Her 26-year diplomatic career included additional leadership assignments in Washington as the Deputy Director of the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and Deputy Director of the Operations Center (the State Department’s 24-7/911-equivalent). Overseas, she was the Political Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid and Political Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Panama. She also served in the U.S. Embassies in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Kenya.   Ms. Smith-Wilson holds an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National War College, an M.A. in International Affairs  from The George Washington University, and a B.A. in Political  Science from Duke University. She speaks Spanish.

Latest from Shelby Smith-Wilson